01 August 2007

1st August 2007

5:23 PM — The openly gay Anglican bishop whose ordination sparked the crisis in the worldwide Communion has claimed that without gay members the Church of England, "would be close to shutting down."The Right Reverend Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire, who lives openly with his male partner, said the church's denial over the number of gay and lesbian Anglicans was 'terrible.'He added that he found it 'mystifying' that the Anglican Communion could not be honest about it.

4:05 PM — Journalist Julie Bindel attempted to win over an audience of doctors and transsexuals in a Radio 4 programme airing tonight by arguing that sex-change surgery is aversion therapy for gay and lesbian people.In the Radio 4 debate show Hecklers, Guardian columnist and feminist campaigner Ms Bindel will argue that 'being trapped in the wrong body' is a homophobic diagnosis created in the 1950's, and that gender re-assignment surgery is unnecessary mutilation.

3:47 PM — Singapore's gay community began its Pride festival today with a message from Sir Ian McKellen, while censors have banned an exhibition featuring pictures of same-sex couples kissing.In a video message, Lord of the Rings star McKellen said:"It's very important that gay people, wherever they are, should identify themselves, stick up for themselves, represent themselves, modestly and positively, so the rest of the world knows that we're here and we're not going to go away."

3:27 PM — The first gay couple to get a civil union in Quebec, Canada, have been awarded $10,000 (£4,640) after they were harassed by teenagers in their suburban neighbourhood.Since publicly denouncing threats and harassment from their neighbours with a 1,500 strong anti-homophobia march through their suburban neighbourhood, Theo Wouters and Rodger Thibault say they have been targeted."This is happening because we're an open gay couple," said Wouters, speaking to the Canadian Globe and Mail.

3:00 PM — The world's oldest celebration of cinema moves into the 21st century this year with the announcement that for the first time there will be a gay award.The Venice Film Festival, which was first held in 1932, has approved The Queer Lion award after four years of negotiations.The award will go to a feature-length film in the competition, or any of the 35 or so 'sidebar'screenings, that has a gay character or theme.

12:12 PM — An investigation has started into allegations that a local council tried to play down the mayor's sexuality.The partner of the first openly gay mayor of Richmond upon Thames has resigned as consort in protest at the council's behaviour.Mario Cardu was appointed consort to mayor Marc Cranfield-Adams in May. The consort, usually the mayor's partner, escorts the mayor on official occasions.

11:58 AM — Free Derry Corner has gone pink to celebrate the first Pride festival in Derry for five years.The gable wall was painted pink on Friday, and Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will launch at Foyle Pride Week at Free Derry Corner today."This is a gift to Pride from the Gasyard Feile and it is brilliant," said David McCartney of the Rainbow Project, speaking to the Belfast Telegraph.

11:43 AM — Bradford's gay and lesbian entrepreneurs will pitch for 300 pink pounds at Pride event, Drag-on's Den.Hosted by female impersonator, Miss Marigold Adams, Drag-on's Den, based on the BBC TV show, will see budding business people pitching their ideas to a panel of Bradford's business luminaries.The contestant who gives the best two-minute presentation will walk away with a £300 contribution towards a training course.

10:43 AM — In a belated response to the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus in the general population, China has ordered all hotels, holiday resorts and public showers to provide condoms.It is part of nationwide efforts to fight the spread of AIDS, according to recent reports.The regulation, issued by the commerce and health ministries, also required pamphlets about AIDS prevention to be displayed, the Beijing News reports.

10:30 AM — Leave it to Pride Month to bolster gay and lesbian awareness around the world - or at least on the World Wide Web.According to the monthly analysis of online activity released by comScore Media Metrix, traffic increased to gay and lesbian websites in June as well as sites in many other categories, including gaming sites, entertainment news sites and hotel/resort sites.Traffic to US-based gay and lesbian sites jumped 23% to nearly 3 million visitors.

10:12 AM — Italy's Supreme Court has refused to overrule a judge's decision to revoke the deportation order of an illegal Senegalese migrant on the grounds of his sexual orientation.Italy's highest criminal court stated that "homosexuality is a condition of he human being deserving legal protection."The court announced that gay people who seek refuge from persecution in Italy would not be sent back to their countries of origin.

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